PCB wants neutral umpires for ODIs against India

Karachi:Pakistan are keen to have third country umpires in the home One-day series against India next year, a top Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official has said.

"Although the International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected our proposal of having both the umpires from a third country in One-day Internationals, we intend to do so in the home (One-day) series against India," Saleem Altaf, PCB's director, cricket operation, was quoted as saying in local daily Jang today.

"I have held preliminary discussions with Mr S K Nair (Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary) on this issue. When we prepare the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the BCCI, we will include this provision and after a formal approval from BCCI, we will request the ICC (for the same)," Altaf said.

India are also scheduled to play three Tests in January- March next year. According to the current practice in One-day Internationals, the ICC appoints one neutral umpire while the home country appoints the other.

Altaf said although the ICC had rejected its proposal of having third country umpires in One-day Internationals, it had allowed the two countries to go ahead depending on mutual agreement.